Statistics of number of parents / nominated persons contacted by university regarding student mental wellbeing.

The request was successful.

Dear Corpus Christi College, Oxford,
Following a spate of sudden student deaths in 2018, an ‘opt-in scheme’ was pioneered by the University of Bristol as part of a set of measures aimed at preventing suicide. In 2019, a coroner wrote to the Department for Education and Minister for Suicide Prevention suggesting that these measures might be shared throughout the sector. I am now seeking to establish the extent to which ‘opt-in’ has been subsequently adopted and/or utilised.
The ‘opt-in’ or ‘consent at registration’ scheme implemented by Bristol University comprises an additional personal information sharing agreement that supplements when information might be shared. It gains consent at annual registration for the university to contact a ’safe and nominated’ parent, guardian or friend in situations that are not emergencies, but where staff have serious concerns that something bad might happen to an enrolled student, and/or where their health, wellbeing or welfare could be affected. Essentially it involves lowering the bar at which parents or nominated others could be contacted by a designated professional at the university, from ‘vital interests’ to ‘serious or significant concerns’. It could for example apply in cases of trauma or distress associated with suspension / expulsion / non-attendance / mental health issues etc.
To qualify as ‘opt-in’ a scheme must be optional and additional to the regular emergency contact protocol. The latter is compulsory and typically restricted to serious incidents and/or emergency situations, that may present an imminent threat to a student’s vital interests. Further particulars can be found at:
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/contacting-peop...
https://thetab.com/uk/2018/09/20/these-a...
https://thetab.com/uk/bristol/2019/10/31...
This important scheme has been implemented at a number of universities, and perhaps at your institution as well. If so, please provide me with the following information as absolute numbers and percentages.
For each academic period (2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21) and year-of-study (e.g. 1st year, 2nd year, 3rd year) sub-division:
• How many students opted-in at registration?
• How many students subsequently rescinded their consent?
• How many times was the opt-in consent used to contact somebody?
• How many times was use of the opt-in consent considered, but with you deliberately choosing not to contact a parent or nominated individual?

Yours faithfully,

Gillian Green

Rachel Clifford, Corpus Christi College, Oxford

I will be away from my desk during the afternoon of 16 March; I will
respond to your email as soon as possible on my return.

 

Rachel Clifford
Academic Registrar

Dear Corpus Christi College, Oxford,
I am writing to remind you of my FOI request which should have been answered by now. Could you please confirm that you received it?
I understand that times are difficult, so this is just a polite reminder.

Yours faithfully,

Gillian Green

Rachel Clifford, Corpus Christi College, Oxford

Dear Gillian

Thank you for your enquiry regarding 'opt-in' for students to give consent at registration for us to contact a 'safe and nominated' parent, guardian or friend in cases that are not emergencies.

Corpus Christi College does not have such a scheme in place. We follow the guidance of the University of Oxford's student welfare services and at present they have not introduced an 'opt-in' scheme. Should they do so the College would follow their guidance.

Rachel

Academic Registrar
Tel: 01865 276737
www.ccc.ox.ac.uk

Merton Street, Oxford, OX1 4JF

Registered Charity no. 1143714

NOTICE: All information and attachments included in this e-mail are confidential to the intended recipient. The views expressed in this e-mail are those of the sender and not necessarily those of Corpus Christi College. If you have received the e-mail in error, please notify the sender and delete this message and any attachments from your system. Any unauthorised use, disclosure, amendment, or copying is not permitted. This e-mail has been checked for viruses, but no liability is accepted for any damage caused by any virus transmitted with this email. Unless expressly stated this email does not form a binding contract.

show quoted sections